Chapter 251: Chapter 251 Crown (3)
Alina sighed, tucked her hair behind her ear, and got to work. One by one, she wove crowns for each of them.
Boo’s ended up crooked because he kept spinning in excitement, but he loved it anyway, twirling like a disco prince. Drake’s crown had the thickest blades of grass, which he declared were "dragon flames." Vlad Jr. finally smiled—just a little—when she added a red petal in the middle of his, calling it his "royal seal." Rocky cried when his crown slipped off, but Alina fixed it firmly, and his proud little grin returned instantly. Kelpie splashed the grass as he tried to balance his blue flower crown, and the others laughed so hard they rolled in the grass.
By the end, every single baby had a crown on their head. Some sat crooked, some half-broken, but each child beamed as if they had been crowned kings and queens of the world.
Alina leaned back on her hands, exhausted but laughing, as they all ran around the garden showing off to each other.
"Behold, Prince Boo!" Boo shouted, spinning in circles.
"I am the Dragon Emperor!" Drake roared, tripping over his own tail.
"Royalty is exhausting," Vlad Jr. muttered, but he wore his crown proudly nonetheless.
"R-rock Prince Rocky!" Rocky squeaked, immediately turning pink at his own words.
Kelpie splashed, yelling, "Water King! Water King!" while soaking half the group.
And in the middle of all this chaos, Luna sat with her chin raised, still wearing her original crown of yellow flowers, her tail wagging with proudly.
Alina shook her head, covering her mouth as laughter spilled out. "Oh dear... I think I’ve just created a kingdom of mischief."
After one more Classes ended, Alina returned to her little house, she busied herself with cooking something simple. The smell of warm food filled the room, and after she had eaten, she spread her notes across the small table and continued preparing lectures for the next day. Hours seemed to slip by as she worked, her pen tapping against the pages while her mind remained focused.
It was only when she picked up her phone to check the time that she noticed several missed calls flashing across the screen. Her aunt had tried three times. Alina’s heart skipped. She quickly wiped her hands, pressed call back, and raised the phone to her ear.
"Hey, Lina," came her aunt’s voice, soft but tired, almost dragging with exhaustion.
Alina straightened immediately, worry in her tone. "What’s wrong with you, Aunt? You sound tired."
Her aunt let out a long sigh, the kind that carried the weight of endless days. "As usual... hospital shifts. And with your uncle away on a business trip, everything has been tiring."
Alina’s eyes softened. "Aunty, please take care of yourself too. You’re always looking after everyone else, but you matter as well."
A faint laugh came from the other side, warm but weary. "Yeah, right. I should focus on myself too." There was a pause, and then her voice grew brighter, happier. "Thank you, dear, for your words. But listen—there’s something important. I called you earlier about your mom. She... she woke up."
Alina’s breath caught. Her chest tightened as if she had been holding it all day. "Really?" she whispered, her voice trembling with relief. Then she quickly added, "And I’m so sorry, Aunt, I didn’t pick up earlier. During lectures I keep my phone on DND, and later I was preparing notes, so I didn’t notice." A sheepish smile tugged at her lips even though her eyes were shining.
"It’s fine, dear. I know how tiring teaching can be. Not to mention you’re teaching royal babies," her aunt teased lightly, the fatigue in her voice softening into pride.
Alina chuckled softly, shaking her head. "All jobs are tiring, Aunt. You also work so hard."
There was a pause before her aunt’s voice grew tender. "Love you, Lina. The doctors said your mom was fully conscious for around an hour and a half before she drifted off again. But they called it a good sign. An improving sign."
Alina’s heart flooded with warmth and hope, her eyes stinging. "Really... I’m so happy. Love you too, Aunt."
Her aunt hummed softly, then sighed again. "I should rest now. And you should too, dear. Don’t overwork yourself."
"Okay," Alina said gently. "Goodnight, Aunt."
When the call ended, she sat still for a long moment, the phone resting against her chest. Relief and gratitude swirled through her heart like warm light breaking through storm clouds.
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NEXT MORNING
Early in the morning, Alina entered the staffroom with a light step, her heart buoyant. The happiness from last night still lingered in her chest, and she was quietly making plans in her mind—visiting her mother at the hospital, and perhaps stopping by the bank to deposit her very first salary cheque.
"Good morning," Professor Hobb greeted as soon as he noticed her, his voice firm but kindly.
Alina paused, startled for a moment at the unexpected warmth, then returned his greeting with a soft smile. "Good morning, Professor..."
Miss Kelly also looked up from her cup of tea and offered a nod. "Good morning, Alina."
The simple exchange, so ordinary yet so kind, filled Alina’s chest with an unusual glow.
"Good morning, Lina." Gabriel’s voice was gentler, warmer, and when Alina turned to him, he was smiling in that quiet way of his, the kind that made people feel safe. She wished him back, the corners of her lips curving up almost without her realizing.
Feeling her throat dry, she reached for her water bottle, twisting it open as she took a long sip. But the moment the cool water hit her throat, she choked unexpectedly, coughing rapidly, the sound echoing far too loudly in the peaceful staffroom.
Her face flushed as she tried to wave it off, but Gabriel, startled, had already leapt to his feet. "Lina!" he exclaimed, panic flashing in his eyes as he moved closer, his hand immediately rubbing her back with firm, quick circles.